The Woman Behind Me

I stared at the phone.

For several seconds, I couldn't remember how to breathe.

"That's impossible," I whispered.

Richard's voice cracked.

"I wish it were.""

"My father was Thomas Whitmore. I have his name. I have his photographs. I remember him.""

"You remember the man who raised you.""

The distinction was so cruelly precise that I felt sick.

Richard continued before I could speak.

"Thomas loved you, Emily. He was your father in every way that mattered. But biologically, you were born to Evelyn and Richard Ashford.""

I gripped the edge of the kitchen counter.

"Richard Ashford?""

"Daniel's father.""

The name seemed to split the room in two.

I looked at the photograph lying on the floor.

Daniel's father, standing beside my mother, his arm around her as if the world belonged to them.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?""

"Because your mother was afraid.""

"Afraid of what?""

Richard exhaled shakily.

"The Ashfords owned half the businesses in the county. They controlled banks, development companies, and private security firms. Your biological father was supposed to inherit everything. But he discovered that his father had been stealing money from the family trust for years.""

"And my mother?""

"She helped him uncover it.""

I shook my head.

"That doesn't explain why Daniel married me.""

"It does if you understand what was in the trust.""

Richard paused.

"Your mother was the only person who knew where the original documents were hidden. When she died, the family believed the secret had died with her. Then you grew up, inherited Thomas's estate, and married Daniel Ashford's son.""

I stared at Lily's closed bedroom door.

"What does my daughter have to do with any of this?""

Richard's silence frightened me more than his words.

"Uncle Richard?""

"Your mother left you a letter for a reason. Read all of it. Then get out of that house.""

"Why?""

"Because the people watching you aren't there to scare you.""

A heavy knock sounded at my front door.

I nearly dropped the phone.

Richard heard it.

"Emily? What was that?""

"Someone's at the door.""

"Don't open it.""

Another knock.

Three slow, deliberate strikes.

Then a man's voice called from the porch.

"Mrs. Ashford? We're here to help.""

My blood turned cold.

Mrs. Ashford.

I had never used Daniel's family name outside legal documents.

"Who is it?"" I shouted.

"Mr. Ashford sent us.""

Richard cursed under his breath.

"Get away from the door. Take Lily and leave through the back.""

I rushed toward the nursery.

"Where am I supposed to go?""

"My apartment is on Maple Street. I'll meet you there.""

"How do I know I can trust you?""

The question escaped before I could stop it.

Richard went quiet.

Then he answered softly.

"You don't. Not yet. But your mother left something with me, and it's the only thing that can prove what I'm telling you.""

The front door handle rattled.

I grabbed Lily from her crib. She woke with a startled cry, her little face scrunching as I wrapped her in a blanket.

"Emily," Richard said urgently, "there's one more thing you need to know.""

I hurried toward the back door.

"What?""

"Daniel didn't come home to leave you.""

My hand stopped on the doorknob.

"Then why did he come?""

Richard's voice dropped to a whisper.

"He came because your daughter was born.""

A loud crash came from the front of the house.

Someone had broken the door.

I ran.

The back steps were slick with rain. I nearly slipped while carrying Lily down them, but caught myself against the railing and kept moving.

Behind me, voices echoed through the house.

"Check upstairs!""

"She was here a minute ago!""

I crossed the small yard, pushed through the gate, and ran into the alley behind our building. My car was parked three streets away, but I didn't dare go near it.

Instead, I ducked into a laundromat on the corner.

The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. A woman folding towels looked up in surprise as I hurried past the machines.

"Are you all right?"" she asked.

"Please," I whispered.

"Can I use your phone?""

She took one look at Lily's frightened face and handed me her mobile without asking another question.

I called Richard.

He answered immediately.

"Where are you?""

"At a laundromat on West Madison. Someone broke into my house.""

"Stay there. I'm coming.""

"Who are those men?""

"I don't know.""

"You're lying.""

He went silent.

I lowered my voice.

"Uncle Richard, I have a baby in my arms. I can't afford to play games. If you know something, tell me now.""

His breathing grew uneven.

"I know the Ashfords have been searching for the documents your mother hid. I know Daniel has spent the last year trying to locate them. And I know your mother believed Lily would be the one person who could expose everything.""

"Why Lily?""

"Because the inheritance was never supposed to pass to you.""

I stared at the washing machines turning behind a glass window.

"What does that mean?""

"Your mother changed the trust before she died. She placed everything in the name of her future granddaughter.""

I looked down at Lily.

Her small hand had curled around my finger.

"She couldn't have known I would have a daughter.""

"She made arrangements before she died. The trust would activate if you had a child. The original documents would identify the beneficiary.""

My throat tightened.

"How much money are we talking about?""

Richard gave a short, humorless laugh.

"Money isn't what frightens them. The trust contains evidence that could destroy the Ashford empire.""

Before I could ask another question, the laundromat door opened.

A man in a dark coat stepped inside.

He scanned the room, then looked directly at me.

I turned away and whispered into the phone.

"Richard, someone's here.""

"Describe him.""

"Dark hair. Black coat. Maybe forty.""

"Does he have a scar near his left ear?""

I looked again.

A pale line curved beneath the man's ear.

"Yes.""

Richard swore.

"Get out the rear door. Now.""

I hurried toward the back of the laundromat.

The man moved to intercept me.

"Mrs. Ashford," he said calmly.

"Please don't make this difficult.""

I clutched Lily closer.

"Stay away from us.""

He lifted both hands.

"I'm not going to hurt you. My employer simply wants to talk.""

"Who is your employer?""

He glanced at Lily's bracelet.

"Someone who has waited a very long time for that child to be born.""

I backed toward the exit.

"You're not taking her.""

His expression hardened.

"Then I suggest you ask your husband what happened to the last woman who tried to keep an Ashford heir away from the family.""

I ran through the back door.

Rain struck my face as I sprinted down the narrow service lane. I didn't stop until I reached the main road, where a taxi was waiting at a red light.

I banged on the passenger window.

"Please! I'll pay you. Just drive!""

The driver took one look at me and unlocked the door.

I climbed in, gave him Richard's address, and kept my eyes on the rear window until the laundromat disappeared behind us.

My phone vibrated again.

This time, it was Daniel.

*Daniel: I know you're with Lily. Please answer me.*

Another message followed.

*Daniel: I can explain everything. I never wanted this to happen.*

Then a photograph appeared.

It showed a hospital room.

A woman lay in the bed, her face pale against the pillow. Beside her stood a younger Richard Ashford, holding a newborn baby wrapped in a white blanket.

On the back of the photograph, someone had written a date.

The date of my birth.

I zoomed in on the baby's face.

Then I looked down at Lily.

The photograph wasn't of me.

The baby had a tiny crescent-shaped birthmark behind her ear.

The same mark Lily had.

My hands began to shake.

Daniel called.

I answered.

"What is this photograph?""

His breathing sounded ragged.

"Emily, where are you?""

"Tell me why your father is holding a baby with my daughter's birthmark.""

He was silent for a long moment.

Then he said, "Because that baby was supposed to be me.""

I frowned.

"What?""

"My father had a daughter before he married my mother. A little girl he was told had died at birth.""

The taxi turned onto Maple Street.

Daniel's voice broke.

"Emily, your mother didn't give birth to you alone. She gave birth to twins.""

I stared at Lily.

"No.""

"One of you was taken from the hospital. The other was raised by Thomas Whitmore.""

The world seemed to stop.

"Which one am I?""

Daniel swallowed.

"You're the child your mother got back.""

I pressed Lily against my chest.

"And the other baby?""

He didn't answer immediately.

When he finally spoke, his voice was almost inaudible.

"Emily, Claire isn't just my mistress.""

I felt the blood drain from my face.

"She's my sister.""

A pause.

"And according to the hospital records, she's your twin.""

The taxi stopped outside Richard's building.

Before I could respond, Daniel spoke again.

"There's something else. Claire knows who arranged the switch. She came to the airport because she was going to tell you the truth.""

"Then why did you kiss her?""

His answer came like a confession.

"Because I needed her to stay quiet long enough to get Lily away from you.""

I stared through the rain-streaked window at the dark apartment building.

"Why would you take my daughter?""

Daniel's voice turned desperate.

"Because your mother left the inheritance to the first granddaughter born into the Ashford bloodline. And if the original records are real, Lily is the only heir who can claim it.""

I opened the taxi door.

Then I heard a woman's voice behind me.

"Emily?""

I turned.

Claire stood beneath the awning across the street, soaked by the rain, her red dress hidden beneath a black coat.

She was holding a folder against her chest.

Her eyes were fixed on Lily.

"I need to show you something," she said.

Then she opened the folder.

Inside was a photograph of two newborn girls lying side by side.

One wore a silver bracelet.

The other wore a hospital tag bearing my name.